An article describing the types of headphones, their application, technical characteristics. Here are some tips for choosing the right headphones. At first, it may seem that headphones are a simple device for sound reproduction in their device. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that there are a huge number of various types of headphones on sale, which differ greatly in shape, sound quality, purpose and, importantly, in price. So how do you choose the right earbuds for you? To do this, first of all, you need to decide what exactly you are buying them for.
Read about glowing Glow headphones
Portable headphones
For those who like to listen to music on the road, at work or during sports, portable headphones, that is, headphones that work with sound-reproducing equipment, such as players and phones, may be suitable. Most often these are in-ear headphones that come with phones and players. Unfortunately, the sound quality in such headphones is far from ideal, and too weak bass often distorts the sound of many compositions. However, it should be borne in mind that the sound quality of inexpensive models of sound-reproducing devices is also imperfect, and more expensive portable headphones from well-known companies may pleasantly surprise you.
Don't forget about the convenience of in-ear headphones. Their small size allows you to always carry them with you and listen to music at any time and place convenient for you.
Hi-fi headphones
If the quality of the music being played is important to you, then the so-called Hi-fi headphones are most likely suitable for you. Usually these are closed counterparts, they do not allow the sound of the environment to pass through, allowing you to concentrate your attention on the beautiful melody that you want to hear. The playback quality of these headphones is an order of magnitude higher, but it should be noted that they are much more expensive and not so comfortable. You will definitely not be able to put them in your pocket next to the player after getting off the bus or subway. It is much better to use them at home if you do not want to disturb your household with loud music or watching a movie.
But before buying Hi-fi headphones, I would advise you to pay attention to the cheaper versions - household or computer headphones. They are divided into closed and open. The difference is that closed-back headphones prevent sounds from outside from entering, which may make them sound better. But many people get tired of using closed headphones for a long time. They are noticeably heavier, and if the finish is made of leatherette, then often there is a feeling of discomfort or the head simply starts to sweat. Whether it is worth sacrificing quality for the sake of convenience is up to you.
Special mention is made of specialized headphones:
- Monitor headphones produce sound with virtually no distortion, which allows them to be used in studios for sound control during recording or processing. If you are going to buy them for listening to music, then most likely you will be upset, Hi-fi headphones that raise bass and high sounds will delight you much more.
- The second type of specialized headphones is DJ headphones. The sound isolation of these headphones is top notch and they reproduce bass better. The combination of these factors makes them the best option for working in nightclubs and discos. For the average person, specialized headphones are of little value, especially considering their price.
Which brand of headphones is the best, you ask? The answer is simple. It is made on the basis of the rating (conducted by the whatsbetter website), according to reviews, in descending order of the TOP 20 brands:
- Sennheiser
- Sony
- Monster
- Koss
- Philips
- AKG
- Pioneer
- Audio-Technica
- Panasonic
- Fischer Audio
- Creative
- Ritmix
- Beyerdynamic
- Technics
- Bose
- Shure
- Axelvox
- Skullcandy
- Yamaha
- JBL
By the way, the JBL brand was in the last place in the list, but this is only because it is not very popular with us, few people know it. In fact, professional audio equipment is produced under this brand, which is well known in the United States. So if there is an opportunity to buy such equipment, do not hesitate! This list of TOP brands of headphones includes the best manufacturers, it's up to you to choose.
A little about the technical characteristics:
Frequency response
The human ear perceives sounds with a frequency of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, but if the manufacturer indicates numbers outside this interval, then you will not be able to check this (unless you are a dolphin, of course). Not the best option would be the case when the sound range is reduced. For example, 150-15000 Hz will mean that bass and high sounds do not sound as good.
Volume limit or maximum sound pressure
The normal value of this parameter is in the range of 100-110 dB, for example, the pain threshold of sound volume in a person is 140 dB, and the sound in the region of 100 dB will seem very loud.
Nonlinear distortion
Indicated as a percentage, and show how much the sound will change passing through the headphones. For Hi-fi equipment, the normal value is about 1.5%, however, monitor headphones are the champions in this area, they almost do not distort the sound passing through them.
Resistance
The lower the resistance, the louder the speakers sound and the faster your player runs out of battery power. The standard value is 32 ohms, also remember that louder is not better.
On the intricacies of choice
Let's say you have already decided which type of headphones to choose. It is best if you have the opportunity to test the sound quality of the equipment right in the store before buying. For this, classical music and hard rock are best suited. The first will check the quality of high sounds, the second - the bass. The best assistant in the choice will, of course, be your ears. Well, that's all you may need when choosing headphones, success in choosing!
